Thurmond says Dems need more whites

Posted: Friday, November 12, 2010

By Walter C. Jones

ATLANTA - Georgia Democrats won't regain control of most elective offices until they address the racial tensions in their party, Athens native and outgoing state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said Thursday.

"Bottom line: We need more white folks," Thurmond told a handful of reporters called to meet with him at an Atlanta restaurant.

Meanwhile, Republicans say they're just as determined to bring blacks and other minorities into their fold.

Thurmond, the unsuccessful candidate in last week's U.S. Senate race, might be in the running for chairman of the state party after Democrats were soundly defeated in every statewide election last week. He said no leadership change should take place before the scheduled party election in January.

For now, he did not rule out running for chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia but said current Chairwoman Jane Kidd should not be overthrown or blamed for the racial problems.

"I think the problem pre-dated the current leadership," said Thurmond, who is vice chairman of the party. "You can't lay all this on Jane Kidd."

Kidd issued a statement last week saying she won't go early and may run for another term.

Thurmond asked her to convene a meeting of the Democratic Executive Committee before January to discuss the race problem and look at what traits the party chairman should have. He has those traits, he said, because he won election to the legislature and three times to statewide office when whites made up the majority of the voters, even though he is black.

Since last week's election, three white, male legislators switched to the Republican Party.

While Thurmond is pushing his party to get whites, Republicans say they're trying for more racial diversity, too. "The Democratic Party is going to have a fight on its hands," said Brian Robinson, spokesman for Gov.-elect Nathan Deal.

Blacks, Hispanics and immigrants from India and other parts of Asia have family values that fit with Republican beliefs, and those who have small businesses already see the GOP as sharing their concerns, Robinson said.

"Those constituencies have a natural place in the Republican Party," he said.